Squeegee holder for silk screen-printing



y 9, 1956 H. c. LATIMER 2,747,501

SQUEEGEE HOLDER FOR Sm SCREEN-PRINTING Filed Aug. 19, 1954 INVENTOR Herberi Cf Lazz'mer Mama ATTVJ.

SQUEEGEE HOLDER FOR SILK SCREEN-PRINTIN G Herbert C. Latimer, Modesto, Calif.

Application August 19, 1954, Serial No. 450,986

7 Claims. (Cl. 101-114) This invention relates generally to an improvement in silk-screen printing equipment of the type which includes a hinged screen supporting frame swingable between a lowered position flat on a work table to print a poster card disposed thereon, and a raised, inclined position clear of the work table to permit the printed poster card to be removed and the next one placed on the work table in proper position for printing.

in such equipment a manually supported and manipulated squeegee is used; such squeegee being moved lengthwise in the frame on the screen to work the paint therethrough onto the card being printed.

It is the major object of this invention to provide a novel device for releasably holding the squeegee in an upstanding position adjacent either end of the screen supporting frame when printing of a poster or other matter has been completed. The holder thus eliminates the chance of the squeegee falling into the paint from the leaning position in which it is usually left in the present type of equipment. Also, by holding the squeegee in an upright position, a fountain for reserve paint is made, and the squeegee when in such position eliminates the possibility of paint running back through the screen openings while changing the printed material. Further, the squeegee being held in an upright position keeps the hands of the operator free from paint and avoids the possibility of the processed work being smeared. Also, the screen may be raised and lowered without danger of the squeegee falling off when it is engaged by the holder. Thus, the speed of hand-operated screen printing is greatly increased and the quality and perfection of the work likewise en hanced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a squeegee holder, as above, which comprisesin corresponding relation to each end of the frame-a novel magnetic holding assembly adapted to automatically support the squeegee, in an upstanding position, whenever it is moved manually to a position adjacent either end of the frame; each such assembly including an element secured to the frame, and another element secured to the grip of the squeegee. In each such assembly one element is a filxed magnet, and the other element is a metallic holding p ate.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a squeegee holder which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture; for ready installation on a manual type of silk-screen printing equipment, either at the time of initial manufacture or subsequently as an attachment; and for affording great convenience to the use of such type of equipment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable squeegee holder, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the folowing specification and claims.

2,747,501 Patented May 29, 1956 Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a manually operated type of silk-screen printing equipment fitted with the present invention; the frame being shown in its lowered position, and the squeegee releasably supported in upstanding position adjacent one end of said frame by the corresponding magnetic holding assembly.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the equipment shown in Fig. 1, but with the frame in raised position; the squeegee here being shown releasably supported, in upstanding position, adjacent the opposite end of the, frame by the corresponding magnetic holding assembly.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional elevation showing particularly the limited loose-play mounting of the holding plates on the grip of the squeegee.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the present invention is adapted for use in connection with manually operated, silk-screen printing equipment of the type which includes an open rectangular frame, indicated generally at 1, and which frame comprises ends 2 and sides 3.

The open rectangular frame is fitted on the under side with-and supports-t he silk screen 4, and said frame is attached at one end by a full width piano hinge 5 to a work table 6. The frame 1 is thus mounted for swinging motion between a lowered working or printing position, as in Fig. 1, flat on the work table 6 over a poster card thereon (not shown), and a raised, poster card transfor position, as in Fig. 2, disposed at an upward incline above the work table 6; the frame 1 being adapted to be maintained in such latter position by pivotally mounted swing legs 7 attached to each side 3 of the frame intermediate its ends.

A substantially full width squeegee is indicated generally at 8, and comprises a transversely extending hand grip 9, usually of wood, and a flexible wiping blade 10 which projects downwardly from the lower edge of the grip 9.

The foregoing is substantially a conventional structure, and during the course of each printing operation the squeegee 8-in upstanding position and extending transversely-is manually engaged and worked lengthwise on the silk-screen 4 whereby the wiping blade 10 works the poster paint 11 on andthrough the silk-screen 4.

The present invention comprises-4n corresponding relation to each end 2 of the frame 1the following:

A strap metal bracket, indicated generally at 12, is secured to, and upstanding from, each frame end 2 centrally of the sides 3. Each bracket 12 comprises a foot 13 secured by screws 14 on top of the related end 2; an upwardly and inwardly inclined intermediate portion 15 connecting the foot 13 with an upstanding finger 16 which overhangs the corresponding end portion of the silk-screen 4 at substantially a right angle to the latter.

A fixed magnet 17, of a material such as Alnico, projects inwardly from the upstanding finger 16 of each bracket 12; such magnet being fitted with a threaded stud 18 which projects through a vertical slot 19 in the corresponding finger 16. A nut 20 threaded on each stud 18 secures, when tightened, the magnet 17 to the finger 16 in vertically adjustable relation.

Each magnet 17 is formed, at its free end, with an exposed face 21 which is disposed in a plane at substantially a right angle to the silkscreen 4.

The hand grip 9 of the squeegee 8 is fitted, on each side, with a transversely extending, metallic, contact and holding plate 22; the securing means for each such plate 22 being a plurality of headed screws 23 which extendin loose-play relationthrough over-size holes 24 in said plate, and thence engage in the grip 9. By mounting each holding plate 22 in the above manner it is capable of limited rocking or loose-play motion.

Whenever the upstanding, transversely extending squeegee is moved to a position adjacent one end or the other of the frame 1, the corresponding holding plate 22 is releasably but magnetically engaged by the corresponding magnet 17; thereafter automatically supporting the squeegee 8 when it is released from the hand. The limited loose-play mounting of each holding plate 22 assures that the same can engage flush with the exposed face 21 of the corresponding magnet 17, even though the squeegee 8 may be in a slightly angular position. Additionally, as each magnet 17 is vertically adjustably mounted on the corresponding finger 16, such magnet can be set so that it engages the related holding plate 22 substantially centrally between the upper and lower edges of the latter.

With the described invention the squeegee 8 can be automatically and conveniently releasably supported in an upstanding position adjacent either end of the frame 1, whereby to free both hands of the operator for manipulation of the frame 1 and the changing of the poster cards on the work table 6.

Whenever it is desired to use the magnetically supported squeegee 8 it is merely hand-engaged and the magnetic contact broken between the engaged holding plate 22 and magnet 17.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A squeegee holder for silk-screen printing equipment which includes an open frame, a silk-screen supported by the frame, and a squeegee movable by hand in an upstanding, transversely extending position on the screen between the ends of the frame; said holder comprising a fixed magnet secured in connection with the frame at one end thereof, a metallic plate secured on the adjacent face of the squeegee, said magnet and plate being disposed to engage when the squeegee is in such upstanding position adjacent one end of the frame, the magnet including a free end facing lengthwise of the frame toward the squeegee and the plate being positioned to face and engage said free end of the magnet when the squeegee is in said upstanding position adjacent said one end of the frame; and means securing the plate to the squeegee in limited loose-play relation whereby to permit of flush contact between the face of said plate and said free end of the magnet.

2. A squeegee holder for silk-screen printing equipment which includes an open frame, a silk-screen supported by the frame, and a squeegee movable by hand in an upstanding, transversely extending position on the screen between the ends of the frame; said holder comprising a bracket secured to and upstanding from one end of the frame, a magnetic holding assembly including one element in the form of a fixed magnet and another element in the form of a holding plate adapted to engage and be releasably held by said magnet when the squeegee is disposed in such upstanding position adjacent said one end of the frame, means securing the magnet to the bracket in normally fixed but vertically adjustable relation and projecting toward the adjacent face of the squeegee and the holding plate, and means securing the holding plate to the squeegee in limited loose-play relation.

3. A squeegee holder, as in claim 2, in which said holding plate securing means comprises headed screws projecting through the plate into the squeegee; the holding plate having oversize holes through which said screws extend.

4. A squeegee holder for silk-screen printing equipment which includes an open frame, a silk-screen supported by the frame, and a squeegee movable by hand in an upstanding transversely extending position on the screen between the ends of the frame; said holder comprising a bracket secured to and upstanding from each end of the frame, a fixed magnet attached to each bracket and projecting therefrom towards the squeegee, and a holding plate secured to each face of the squeegee adapted and disposed for magnetic engagement with the corresponding magnet when the squeegee is disposed in such upstanding position adjacent the magnet; the free end of each magnet being disposed at substantially a right angle to the screen; the corresponding holding plate facing said end and having limited loose-play on the squeegee.

5. In silk-screen printing equipment the combination with an open frame, a silk-screen supported on the frame, and a transverse squeegee supported on and upstanding from the screen and movable by hand lengthwise of the frame, between the ends thereof; of a magnetic holding assembly for the squeegee comprising a bracket secured to and upstanding from one end of the frame, a fixed magnet secured on the bracket and projecting toward the squeegee, and a holding plate secured on the squeegee and facing the magnet for contacting engagement therewith.

6. A combination as in claim 5, in which the upper end portion of the bracket overhangs the screen and the magnet projects from said overhanging portion whereby to maintain the squeegee, when engaged by the magnet, a predetermined distance from said end of the frame.

7. In silk-screen printing equipment, the combination with an open frame, a silk-screen supported on the frame, and a transverse squeegee supported on and upstanding from the screen and movable by hand lengthwise of the frame between the ends thereof; of a releasable holding assembly for the squeegee comprising a bracket secured to and upstanding from one end of the frame and having an upper portion facing the squeegee, and releasable cooperating members mounted on the squeegee and said bracket portion to maintain the squeegee in an upstanding position when the squeegee is disposed adjacent but clear of said end of the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,369,602 Petty et al Feb. 13, 1945 2,414,653 Lookholder Ian. 21, 1947 2,580,099 Jaeger Dec. 25, 1951 

